Elliott captures the pole for The Winston

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) If things continue going this well for Bill Elliott, next season won't get here soon enough.

Elliott, who will drive for Ray Evernham's Dodge team next year, followed a brainstorming session with Evernham's crew with a pole-winning run Friday for The Winston.

''I'm really impressed at how quick these guys have come together because I didn't expect it to happen so fast,'' Elliott said. ''This is the best I've been at the race track in a very long time and my guys are really pumped up right now. One thing just feeds off the other.''

The qualifying process in the past required drivers to make three laps around Lowe's Motor Speedway, stopping once to change two tires. But this year the stop was made before the laps began.

Elliott capitalized on the change for an average lap speed of 152.928 mph shattering the record Bobby Labonte set last year of 146.830.

''We had a good pit stop and two real good laps,'' Elliott said. ''I don't know what I could have done better or differently because it all went so well.''

It was the fourth pole for Elliott in 15 appearances in The Winston, which he won in 1986.

Today's night race has a record purse this year of $2 million. If Elliott wins the 70-lap all-star event, he would get $500,000.

Starting alongside him on the front row will be Mark Martin, who was over a second slower than Elliott and finished with an average lap speed of 151.467

Labonte, who was one of the slowest cars in both of Friday's practice sessions, recovered to qualify third with a speed of 151.399.

Elliott, who hasn't won a points race since 1994, has been racing fairly well since announcing he would join Evernham next season.

The move will allow him to give up his duel role of owner and driver and concentrate on just driving.

So far he's making the adjustment well, getting enough advice from Jeff Gordon's former crew chief to crack the top 10 four times this season. He currently ranks 12th in the points standings.

''Judging from this point so far, it's really been a seven or an eight this season,'' he said. ''Just knowing that at the end of the season I won't be a driver and an owner, it's all been a big burden just lifted off of me, but still I want to go out this year and give it my best effort.''

Eighteen drivers were guaranteed entry in The Winston and the rest of the drivers will compete Saturday for the remaining two spots.

Two 25-lap races will be held Friday night to set starting positions for Saturday's 30-lap Winston Open. The winner of that event moves to the main show. Other cars finishing on the lead lap of The Winston Open will be eligible to run in the 16-lap No Bull Sprint. That winner also moves on to The Winston.

The race marked the first time in years that a Petty wasn't at the track on a race weekend.

Kyle Petty skipped the all-star event as he continues to mourn the loss of his son, Adam. The 19-year-old driver was killed May 12 when he crashed during practice for the Busch 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Kyle's father, Richard, also skipped the event and their absences didn't go unnoticed.

''I can't remember a time in 50 years that a Petty wasn't at the track,'' said three-time Winston Cup Champion Darrell Waltrip. ''

''I think the thing that bothers me the most about sports in general, ours particular, is that you never have a chance to mourn. That race went on Saturday and Adam wasn't there just like this race will go on and Richard and Kyle are not here.''

Waltrip, one of only three drivers to race in all 15 of the previous Winstons, will start 17th. His car was the slowest of the day, but John Andretti was penalized three seconds for a missing lugnut and dropped to 18th.